Abel: Govt pushing to get investment into Gulf

The Government is committed to attracting as much investment as possible in Gulf, one of the least-developed provinces in the country, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel, pictured, says. His announcement on NBC Talkback Radio yesterday followed hot on the heels of Oil Search managing-director Peter Botten announcing in Kerema last week that his company would pump more than K1 billion into exploration in Gulf over the next three years and remained committed to the long-term development of the province. This is in addition to the K3.2 billion invested in Gulf over the last five years by Oil Search. “I talked about getting early works and Feed (front end engineering design) going in the Papua LNG Project,” Abel said. “I’ve just had a meeting with Exxon (Mobil) people yesterday and it’s getting close. “We’re just doing some work around the type of gas that’s coming out of PRL-15 in Elk-Antelope. “That gas is not exactly the same as that coming through from Hides in Hela area, and because they’re trying to synergise using the same infrastructure to save money, they’ve just got to make sure that they can blend the gas successfully. “Of course, we want as much investment as possible within the Gulf province at the very minimum a conditioning plant there to create jobs and economic activity. “That is coming close and we’re certainly looking at Feed starting in early 2018. “We’re on track for that one.” Abel said a smaller LNG project was happening in Western, with the company involved there looking at a separate pipeline to Daru. “They want to do pre-feed work so they’re going to spend about US$6 million this year,” he said.